Oil-tank car



H. I". SNYDBR. v(lil-Tank Car.

No. 223,867. Patented Jan. 27, 1880.

-Zf 'm g( kw mm3 W UNITED STATES PATENT @mica HENRY F. SNYDER, 0FWILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

Ol L-TANK CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters I atent No. 223,867', datedJanuary 27, 1880.

Application filed May 8, 1879.

To all whom it may concern i Be it known that I, HENRY F. SNYDER, ofWilliamsport, Lycoming county, in the State of Pennsylvanitnhaveinvented certain` new and useful Improvements relating to Oil-Tank Garsfor Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

I have devised means for operating and securing the outlet-valve, whichmeans afford increased facilities for access, and for the repair andexchange of parts by the proper parties, and I have introduced means forbetter securin g the parts against any fraudulent or mischievoustampering therewith by improper parties.

It is important that the cover of the manhole at the top be secured withsufficient tightness to avoid serious loss from slopping, due toirregular motions, and especially that adequate iastenings be providedwhich may not be easily opened by unauthorized persons, and that bothcover and fastenin gs be removed entirely out of the way for filling thecar and for allowing access to the valve-rod for emptying the car.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of'carrying out the invention. i

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specication.

Figure 1 is a general cross-section through the entire tank or body ofthe car with my improvements applied. Fig. 2 represents the cross-keywhich confines the elastic lever at the top or some of the adjacentportions, on a largerI scale. Fig. 3 is a section showing the valve andsome of the adjacent parts at the bottom. Fig. 4L is a` vertical sectionthrough the ridges and grooves, on a still larger scale. Fig. 5 is across-section, showing a modification of the elastic lever and means foroperating it.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the iigures.

A is the body of the oil-tank, formedwith the usual high dome toproperly elevate the man-hole which is formed in the casting A at thetop. H is the operating-rod, formed with a screw-thread, h, on a`slightly-enlarged/portion, which tsin corresponding screw-threads in ayoke, I, secured by bolts i to the casting J, which is bolted on theaperture formed in the bottom of the tank, and performs some of theusual functions of the principal casting at this point. Butthe chieffunction of the castingthat of forming a seat for the valve H- isreserved for a supplementary casting, K, which is removable tofacilitate repairs and exchanges. It is strongly held by screw-bolts K',the bodies of which are received in slots j in the flange J', and aresecured by nuts 7c. On removing these nuts 7c the supplementary castingK, with its attachments, may be removed. lhe attachments may be similarto those set forth in the patent to myself and brothers, George S.Snyder land Autes Snyder, May 23, 1871, No. 115,127, and need not beparticularly described.

WV is a bottom cap, which applies tightly on the lower end of thecasting K, performing the same functions as the corresponding cap in theprevious patent referred to.

It is necessary,in order to confine petroleum,

to make special provisions for the tightness of the joint between thesupplementary casting K and the) main'ca'stih g J It is also necessary,in order'to allow t'he'supplementary casting to fulll the importantfunction of a seat for the valve, that it be confined with unusualcertaint-y in an exact position, so that the valve-seat will be strictlyconcentric to the valve and to the prolonged axis of the valve-rod El. Iattain both these ends by the aid of a series of circular ridges, j,to'accurately turn on the lower face of the casting J, and vwhich matchinto corresponding grooves in a soft-metal surface, lc, ,formed in thesupplementary casting K. These ridges j are of V-shaped section, andmatch into corresponding grooves of less Width and depth which areformed for them, or which they may form for themselves, in the softmetal 7c. A greater or less number of these circular ridges andcorresponding grooves may be employed. I employ four, making each aneighth of an inch in breadth, and provide a soft-metal belt aboutthreequarters of an inch in width, in which the ridges are allowed topartially embed themselves.

When the casting K -is brought up to a bearing, and the nuts 7c areapplied on the bolts K', it is easy to bring the casting K into an IOOapproximately'correct position. The bolts K being first inserted intheir proper slots, the casting K must be in the approximately correctposition, or its holes will not match on the bolts. Thus conditioned, onapplying the nuts and bringing the casting K up to its bearing, theinclined sides of the ridges j act on the counter-surfaces of thegrooves in the lower part and guide the casting K with mathematicalexactness to its true position. When the paris are properly forcedtogether the casting K is certain to be exactly concentric to the valve.l

The separation of the parts will be readily understood. The valve Hhaving been previously raised and all the oil emptied from the tank, thenuts k are removed and the casting K lowered.

The large aperture which my invention provides through the main bottomcasting J allows me to take out the yoke I and insert another throughthe same, when necessary, by properly manipulating` the fastenings,giving the proper crooked motion to the crooked piece which is to bethus removed.

When a tank stands empty, and the interior of these parts are simplysmeared, not covered, with petroleum, the partial oxidation or otheraction which occurs in the semi-fluid material is liable to cake andform a stronglyadhesive coating on the surfaces. I prefer the use ofsoft metal as the material 7c to receive the grooves, both for thefacility which it affords for making the grooves and for the superioreffect which obtains when the parts are violently separated after a hardcementing cake has formed.

If, on removing the nuts k', the casting-K will' not drop of itself inconsequence of the adhesion referredto, it can be started by one or moresmart raps with a wrench, or by the insertion of a pry or chisel in thejoint.

I have in my experiments used a soft alloy, principally lead, for thematerial k, and find the adhesion very slight thereon. l

R is an elastic lever extended across the man-hole and riveted to thecover Pat the point p. It is hinged to. the fixed parts A by an eye, A2.It is held down at the other end by means of a swinging link, T, whichstands loosely inclosed in a slot in the lever R, and is provided with across key, V, notched, as shown, so that while the spring-lever R forcesthe cross-key V up into firm engagement with the link T, the notch in Vholds it rmly locked.

The lever R is elastic, and is so held by the pin Vthat some of itselasticity is made available. It is strained, and exerts a constantpressure to hold the coverl? rmly down upon the casting A 5 but theleverRhas more elasticity, and its end which engages with the link T iscapable of being further depressed. Such depression is necessary inengaging and disengaging it. It may be conveniently effected by means ofthe small portable hand-lever M, which is formedwitll a hooked end, m,adapted to engage in the notch t in the edge of the lever M is depressedby the force of 011e hand v of the attendant, thus forcibly bending downthe lever R to its fullest extent. In this condition of the parts thecross-pin Vis introduced with the notch v uppermost, and held in thelink T. Now the lever R is allowed to partially rise to its naturalposition by the elevation of the lever M. This movement forces the notche tightly' into engagement, and the parts are firmly secured, afterwhich the lever M may by an easy movement be liberated and taken away toserve on other cars.

The opening of the tank involves a reverse of these operations, and thelink Tis now free to be turned down on its hinge U out of the way. Theeye A2 may be also formed with a link, so as to allow also of beingturned down out of the way, if desired. This latter will afford a-perfectly clear way on all sides of the man-hole for the free movementand application or renewal from any side of a pipe or other apparatusfor introducing or removing oil; but I prefer the constructionrepresented.

The pockets jz, which receive the heads of roo the bolts K', are square,and are sunk sufciently to hold the head against turning. They attaintwo important ends. When the removable casting K is removed thesepockets jz hold the several bolts Kl in the right position foreach boltto exactly match in its proper bolt-hole when the casting is againbrought up to place; and they also hold each bolt against being turnedaround in its seat when the nuts 7c are being put on or taken off.

Fig 5 shows a modification in which the elastic lever R, instead ofbeing a plain dat bar of nearly straight form, and only a little morethan the required length, may be considerably longer, and bent so as toafford a great amount of elasticity without being undesirably weakened.The means provided for fastening such a modified lever may be the sameas before, or may be modified, as indicated in the ligure, to betteradapt the fastening to the modified form of lever.

I can succeed with only one notch, t, in the edge of the link T, asshown; or,-instead of a IIO single notch, t, to receive the joint orfulcruln i to be applied when required. The chain will prevent its beinglost. In such case I ca-n employ a padlock inserted throughA a hole inthe lever M and allow the attendant to carry the key of that padlock onhis person; or I can employ both these means of security by causing theattendant to carry away bot-h the lever M and the key of the padlock.

Further modifications may be made. I believe that some of the advantagesmay be obtained by the use of the ridges j, applying in correspondinggrooves with inclined faces formed in hard metal on thelower castin g, Kbut I prefer the soft metal for the reasons stated. The ridgescorresponding to j may be formed in the lower casting, and the groovesin the upper ridges need not be strictly V- shaped. They may have aconsiderable width at the bottom; but the inclination of the faces,either of the ridges j in the onepart or ofthe grooves in the otherpart, or of both, is important to aid in guiding the parts to theirposition. Ridges Wi th perpendicular sides matching in correspondinggrooves would perform the saine function imperfectly. Such would requirethat the lower casting, J, be moved to nd the right position, the partsonly match-v ing together after the proper position had been found bytrial.

I can increase the elasticity of the springin g-lever R by variousdevices. It may be ,corrugated transversely.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination withv the oil-tank A, valveH', and its 'operating-rod H, raising and lowering the valve by meanssupported on the xed part J, the detachable piece K, with suitablesecuring means, adapted to be removed and exchanged without disturbingthe part J and its other attachments, as herein specified.

2. The oil-tank A, valve-rod and valve H Hf, formed with a screw-thread,h, threaded yoke I, bottom casting J, detachable valve-seat K,soft-metal surface lc, ridges j, and bottom cap W, combined and arrangedto serve as herein specified.

3. The oil-tank A, man-hole rim or covering A', and cover P, incombination with elastic lever R, key V. 4J, and holding-link T, asherein specified.

4. The oil-tank A A', cover P, elastic lever It, and confining-key Vc,in combination with a swing-link, T, having a notch or notches, t, andwith an operating-lever, M,`made detachable, as herein specified.

5. In oil-tank .ttings, the bottom casting J, formed with a flange, J,having slots j and pockets ji, in combination with the removablesupplementary casting K and holding-bolts K', as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 'my hand this 2d day of May,1879, in the pres- 'ence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY F. SNYDER.

